Hillsborough County deputies say a traffic stop on Gibsonton Drive turned into a full pursuit late on Oct. 19, ending with four people in custody near I-75 and U.S. 301. Deputies tried to pull over a car for failing to stay in its lane around 10:05 p.m., but the driver sped away. The sheriff’s helicopter unit tracked the car until it left the road near a guardrail, entered a construction area and crashed into a dirt embankment.
The driver, Leo Gradley III, 29, had his license revoked in July 2024 for fleeing, and he now faces fleeing and eluding charges along with other counts. Three passengers, Angel Pribble, Jasmine Likely and Andrew Hopson, face trespassing and drug charges. Deputies also found a bag of crushed diazepam pills inside the vehicle.
During the incident, a deputy’s patrol car was struck from behind on northbound I-75. Cpl. Niomi Bruce, 30, was taken to the hospital and released the following day. Her injury is a reminder of Florida’s Move Over law, which requires drivers to move over a lane or slow down when approaching emergency vehicles on the highway. Have you ever had a close call with a reckless driver on I-75? Let us know on our Facebook page.
